Doug Katz, chef and owner of Fire Food and Drink at Shaker Square, plans to open a diner/delicatessen and catering operation at the Cleveland Heights diner cars, 1975 Lee Road.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS -- Doug Katz, chef and owner of Fire Food and Drink at Shaker Square, is set to acquire the two diner cars at 1975 Lee Road to house a diner/delicatessen and catering operation tentatively scheduled to open early next year.

City Council unanimously approved Nov. 7 a $200,000 loan through the city’s Economic Development Loan Fund Program to assist with the purchase. The agreement calls for Katz to invest $225,000 in interior and exterior renovations for the property.

“I just really want to make it into something that is so special,” he said.

Katz expects the $225,000 sale from Fifth Third Bank to close next week.

A Cleveland Heights resident for almost 20 years, Katz plans to utilize the left diner car as a “soda fountain and classic diner/delicatessen spot.” To be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it will offer “diner food with the quality of Fire” and highlight locally grown and artisan ingredients.

Katz’s agreement with the city states his successful catering operation has outgrown Fire, and will use the diner cars’ back kitchen for preparation and the right car for special functions.

The catering operation is slated to open by January or February, and the diner/delicatessen by March. A total of 28 full- and part-time jobs are expected to be created.

“We’re very pleased to be able to assist in getting this property back and operational,” Councilman Dennis Wilcox said.

The diner cars have been vacant since May, when Favor Bistro closed after having been in business about a year.

Prior to that, the property was occupied by the popular Clyde’s Bistro and Barroom, which closed in March 2011 after being open about 18 months.

Steve Presser, owner of the Big Fun toy store on Coventry Road, purchased the cars from New Jersey and Pennsylvania in 1995 and opened Dottie’s Diner and Sweet City Diner at the location in September 2002.

But Presser was forced to close about 15 months later, not only because he was losing money, but also because he was unable to overcome the debt he incurred in starting the business.

Pat Tsilianidis and his sons, Chris and Jimmy, purchased the diner cars from Presser in 2004. They reopened as Chris & Jimmy’s Diners late that year, but closed in 2007.

Katz believes he has the experience to finally make the diner cars a long-term success.

“I feel like you really need to have that understanding, energy and passion for the business,” he said. “I’m always up for a challenge.”

His father-in-law and business partner, Jerry Goldberg, agrees.

“The reason (the new business) is going to do good is because (Katz’s) good,” he said.

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